1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to novel compositions of homopolymers and copolymers containing an olefinic polymerizable end group wherein the monomeric units comprise methacrylate, acrylate, styrene, vinyl esters, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, vinyl halides, vinylidene halides, substituted butadienes, ethylenesulfonic acid derivatives, acrylamide derivatives, methacrylamide derivatives, and other monomers, and mixtures thereof.
2. Background
Macromonomers, that is, polymers containing an olefinic polymerizable end group, are known in the art. For example, Smirnov et al., Dokl. Akad. Nauk USSR, 255, 609-612 (1980) discuss the production of polymers having a terminal olefinic group using cobalt complexes of porphyrins as a catalytic chain transfer agent. Cacioli et al. J. Macromol., A23, 839-852 (1986) describe the preparation, using Co(II) tetraphenylporphyrin as catalyst, of methyl methacrylate oligomers of various number-average molecular weights having terminal double bonds and describe the usefulness of such macromonomers in the production of graft polymers. Abbey et al., Proceedings of the ACS Division of Polymeric Materials Science and Engineering, 55, 235-238 (1986) discuss terminal olefinic polymers produced using a cobaloxime chain transfer agent. The authors state that the dimer can be isolated at 99% purity.
Using present art processes, however, the percentage of macromonomers obtained is often very low, and is always less than about 80 mol %. Moreover, using current methods, isolation of macromonomers of greater than about 2 or 3 monomer units from terminally saturated non-polymerizable polymers which are also generated by such processes is not possible.
Novel compositions containing a higher percentage of macromonomer are needed in order to permit more effective utilization of these compounds in the production of graft polymers and other polymeric moieties.